The Mindanao Daily Mirror MDM FOCUSsaturday | JUNE 6, 2020 P3 Go hits delayed compensation for COVID-hit health workers By RUTH PALO DAVAO CITY — Senator rules and regulations of the already been acted upon.” Christopher Lawrence Bayanihan to Heal as One Act “This means there Go on Thursday berated is yet to be finalized. should be no delay. Don’t concerned government “How did this happen? let documents stay on your agencies over the delayed April and May have passed desks. This one has been there release of compensation for and now it’s June already. Up for two months but nothing the 32 health workers who to now the benefits our health has been done. Why is this succumbed to COVID-19. workers or the families they so? Or is it being delayed on In a strongly worded left behind have not received purpose? Is no one moving in privilege speech during the their benefits,” Go said. your offices?” added. Senate’s session on June 4, “Our medical frontliners Go said he was dismayed Go said as Congress is set to are the heroes in this battle. by the conflicting statements pass the Bayanihan to Recover They are the ones sacrificing of the Department of Budget As One Act or Bayanihan 2, even their own lives to save and Management (DBM) and “there are still commitments the lives of other Filipinos, but the Department of Health in the previous law that, until our officials cannot even give (DPH) regarding the delayed now, have not been acted the time and attention to the compensation. upon.” simple benefits due them by He said while the DBM “It was revealed during law,” he added. has said there should be the plenary deliberations last Enacted in March, guidelines first, the DOH said Tuesday that the benefits CONTRIBUTED PHOTO for health workers have not Republic Act 11469 or the there is no need for them for Bayanihan to Heal as One Act the release of the assistance. been provided yet. Thirty-two Our medical frontliners are the heroes in this battle. They health workers have already mandates the provision of “Hoy DBM, DOH, at pati died, hundreds of them compensation amounting to na rin DOLE (Department are the ones sacrificing even their own lives to save the have fallen ill. Thousands of P100,000 to health workers of Labor and Employment)! lives of other Filipinos. families have been affected. who become severely ill Mag-usap-usap naman kayo at And you add to their hardship because of COVID-19 while in mag-coordinate kayo sa isa’t with the delays in the process the line of duty. isa,” he said. — Senator Christopher Lawrence Go of giving service,” Go said Meanwhile, the families Go urged the agencies to in his speech, a transcript of of health workers who die of act swiftly on the issue. “You which was provided to the COVID-19 while in the line of are not children who need to Mirror. duty should get P1 million. be told what to do,” he said. During an interpellation Go echoed the sentiments Go also called on all of the measure seeking to of President Rodrigo Duterte employees of the concerned provide for the country’s regarding the sluggish agencies to work together and COVID-19 pandemic response bureaucracy of concerned coordinate with each other. and recovery interventions on agencies. “The President has “All Undersecretaries, Tuesday, it was revealed that been very clear against red Assistant Secretaries, down the compensation has not tape. In fact, he has firmly to the Directors — you should yet been given because the stated that — within 48 to 72 help your Secretaries. They corresponding implementing hours— all papers should have cannot do this alone,” he said. Spanish sardines industry can reduce poverty in Zamboanga Norte: MinDA DAVAO CITY — The sardines with tomato sauce, everything needed to Mindanao Development has long been a home produce bottled Spanish Authority (MinDA) said the industry in the province Sardines which she buys Spanish sardines industry but the lack of access to and sells to a hungry in Zamboanga del Norte the market of fishermen's market,” he said. can help reduce poverty families prevented the Piñol also vowed to incidence and improve the industry from attaining its assist the poor fishing lives of the people in the full potential in improving families in the coastal province. people's lives. areas as MinDA will MinDA chair Secretary “The thrust now is to craft programs for those Emmanuel Piñol said organize the wives and living in the agricultural Zamboanga del Norte has daughters of fishermen and upland areas of the a 500-kilometer coastline and improve their skills in 700,000-hectare province. facing one of the country's making Spanish sardines He also said he is richest fishing grounds, the while supporting them planning to establish a Sulu Sea, where the tamban with the basic equipment MinDA satellite office in or sardines fish “literally and infrastructure for the Roxas, Zamboanga del jump to the shore” right industry,” he said. after the three-month Piñol said former Norte to fight poverty. closed fishing season which Dipolog City Mayor Evelyn “This is the formula runs from December to the Uy, who is the wife of that we will embrace: end of February every year. Zamboanga del Norte identify the strengths Piñol said a target has Governor Roberto Uy, of an area, develop and been set for Zamboanga has already provided the strengthen it and set a del Norte to be taken out template as she succeeded target and timetable. This of the list of the country's in organizing Dipolog's will be the same formula 20 poorest provinces in five women into a Spanish which we will use as we years’ time. sardines production crew. wade into the ring in the He said the making of “She established fight against poverty in bottled Spanish sardines, the processing facility the other provinces of which is premium along with the equipment Mindanao,” he said. Ruth compared with canned and provided them with Palo.